Frederick a



(No Model.)

I. A. SCHMIDT.

TABLET.

No. 565,511. Patented Aug.'11, 1896 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK A. SCHMIDT, OF WVASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

TABLET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 565,511, dated August 11, 1896.

Application filed September 1'7, 1894. Serial No. 523,287. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK A. SCHMIDT, of the city of Washington, District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tablets; and I do hereby declare that the following specification, taken in connection with the drawings furnished and forming a part of the same, is a clear, true, and complete description of my invention.

The object of my invention is to provide a tablet for use of artists, draftsmen, or school use, with means for supporting it in an inclined position, easily adjustable to any degree of inclination, and be manufactured at comparatively small cost.

As is well known, artists who are gifted with a free use of their hands desire their paper or canvas more erect than those less fortunate in that particular, and in pencil or pen drawing, where the mahlstick is not used, the paper or its support serves as the support or rest for the hand. An artist who requires more or less support for his hand will adjust his paper to a greater orless degree of inclination, and it is to meet this requirement in the use of tablets that my present invention has been devised.

Hinged covers have heretofore been provided for protecting the face of a tablet, and in some instances such covers could be opened back for supporting the tablet in an inclined position, but such support would be unreliable, because of the liability of slipping.

My present invention consists in providing the cover of such a tablet with means for firmly holding it against slipping,while doing supporting duty, and which permits adj ustment for supporting the tablet at any desired degree of inclination, the particular means employed oifering no objectionable projections when the tablet is closed.

To more particularly describe my invention, I will refer to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 illustrates in perspective one of my tablets in position for use. Fig. 2 similarly illustrates the rear of tablet, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 illustrates the same tablet when closed.

The tablet A is mounted upon a base-board B, which in this case extends sufficiently beyond the tablet, as at b, to'provide space for detachably mounting such drawing tools or implements as may be desirable. To this base-board B is hinged a cover C, which, when closed, as in Fig. 3, serves to protect the face of the tablet, and when opened back, as in Figs. 1 and 2, serves as an easel-support.

At the back of the base-board, as at cl, is secured a cord or tape D, the free end of which passes to and through an opening or hole d in the cover C, and on the inner side of the cover is mounted a button 01 around which the free end of the cord or tape D is wrapped or secured while the cover is doing supporting duty.

WVhen the cover is opened back for supporting the tablet in its inclined position, the cord or tape is pulled through the opening or hole 01 in the cover C, until the desired inclination is reached, and it is then wrapped around the button d thus holding the cover in the desired position. Releasing the cord or tape from the button leaves the cover free to be closed.

I show mounted upon the inner side of the cover C of this tablet a pocket or envelop for the reception of loose paper or finished drawings, and when this is to be attached care should be taken that the portion adjacent to the hole or opening cl in the cover and along the path of the cord or tape D be left free for the proper movements of the latter.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A tablet having a cover which when closed serves to protect the face of the tablet and when opened back serves as an easel-support, a cord or tape attached to the rear of the tablet, the free end of which passes to and through a hole or opening in said cover, and means for securing the free end of said cord or tape While in use, substantially as described.

FREDERICK A. SCHMIDT.

Witnesses:

HOWELL BARTLE, EMMA E. MARKs. 

